Water Drainage Device for a Sanitary Facility, Such as a Floor-Level Shower Area

ABSTRACT

A water drainage device for sanitary installations, such as in a walk-in shower stall. The device includes: a pan-shaped water drainage element that is fluidically connected or connectable, to a drain pipe; a channel cover that is inserted into the water drainage element and that covers the water drainage element; and at least one height adjustment unit for the channel cover that includes a foot part and a head part.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a water drainage device for a sanitary installation, such as a walk-in shower stall, comprising:

-   -   an oblong, pan-shaped water drainage element, which is open         toward the top when installed and to which an drain pipe is         connected or can be connected;     -   a channel cover, which is inserted into the water drainage         element and covers the water drainage element toward the top         when installed, wherein at least one opening remains in or on         the channel cover for feeding waste water into the water         drainage element;     -   at least one height adjustment unit for the channel cover,         comprising a foot part and a head part, the height of which can         be adjusted in relation to the foot part.

A water drainage device of the type mentioned above is disclosed in DE 20 2010 007 534 A1 by the applicant. The foot part represents a smooth, slightly conical pin, which projects in the direction of the channel cover and is disposed on the water drainage element. The disadvantage of the known water drainage device is that the foot part remains on the water drainage element—projecting upwardly—after the channel cover has been removed, whereby cleaning is made more difficult.

Moreover, a height-adjustable water drainage device is known from DE 10 2004 049 944 A1, comprising multiple retaining means having a threaded pin and a threaded sleeve. The threaded sleeve is attached to a base of a drain pan. The upwardly projecting threaded sleeves can likewise prove to be disadvantageous for the same reason.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Therefore, the object that arises is that of designing a novel water drainage device having improved access for cleaning and inspection. The water drainage device should also allow easy removal and insertion of the channel cover, together with the height adjustment unit, with one simple hand-movement and without the use of tools.

This object is achieved by a water drainage device of the type described in the preamble of claim 1, in which

-   -   the head part comprises a support element that is compatible         with the channel cover and faces away from the foot part and         that is non-positively or positively connected to the channel         cover,     -   the water drainage element comprises at least one recess on         which the foot part is loosely supported,     -   wherein the entire height adjustment unit can be removed from         the channel-shaped water drainage element, and inserted into the         water drainage element, together with the channel cover.

The channel cover can be planar and strip-shaped, in the manner of a section of flat steel, or it can be profiled. The profiled channel cover preferably has a C profile. However, the use of other profile types, such as an H or U profile, is also possible.

The support element can be a section of a C or U profile, which fits into the interior of the channel cover. This creates a non-positive connection between the channel cover and the support element, which can be implemented by simple clamping. For example, clamping takes place between the U limbs of the support element and the channel cover. The clamping action can be supported by the elasticity of the U limbs of the support element being greater than that of the channel cover, and by the U limbs deforming under stress.

The support element can enter into a detent connection with the channel cover by at least one detent protrusion engaging in a corresponding cut-out of the mating element. The detent protrusions are preferably provided on the U limbs of the support element, and the cut-outs are preferably provided on the U limbs of the channel cover.

In a variant embodiment, the support element can be bonded to the channel cover at least in a punctiform manner. It is likewise possible to materially integrate the support element into the channel cover if the two parts are produced in one material piece, for example made of a thermoplastic synthetic material.

An essential feature of invention is thus a detachable accommodation of the foot part in the recess of the pan-shaped water drainage element, while assuring sufficient positional stability of the channel cover. So as to achieve the object, a positive connection between the foot part and the recess is proposed.

In the present case, the positive connection between the foot part and the recess can be composed of two cylinder surfaces that are coaxial with respect to each other, such as a pin inserted into a blind hole. This creates a positive fit in all directions of a plane that is perpendicular to the cylinder axis. The cylinder surfaces can be stepped or combined with conical surfaces that mutually contact each other. The positive fit requires play-free, or substantially play-free, contact between the two surfaces. The positive connection can also be formed by two mutually compatible oval, reniform or polygonal surfaces. In any case, the foot part, and thus the entire height adjustment unit together with the channel cover, can be removed from, and be re-inserted into, the recess with one simple hand-movement.

The head part can form a screw connection, a detent connection, and more particularly a spring-loaded detent connection, or a combined screw connection with the foot part, in which the head part gliding over the foot part can be fixed on the foot part. This is advantageous in particular because the installation height of the cover element requires adjustment in relation to the surface of the finished shower base, which is covered with tiles, for example, only once, which is to say in connection with the initial installation. After the desired installation height has been established, this installation height can be fixed by bracing the foot part and the head part with respect to each other by way of a screw.

If thereafter, for example for cleaning purposes, the cover element is removed, there is no risk of the set height being inadvertently changed. The cover element comprising the fixed foot parts can rather be installed and removed any arbitrary number of times, without the height changing. However, the fixation is not precluded from being detached since this may be necessary, for example, for replacing defective parts.

The entire height adjustment unit, which is to include the channel cover, can be produced from metal, and more particularly from a stainless steel, and/or from plastic material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The connections of the head part to the foot part are described in detail hereafter. The invention will be described in more detail in exemplary embodiments based on the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a water drainage element comprising recesses and a channel cover, which is removed from the recesses, having an indicated height adjustment unit;

FIG. 2 shows a section A-A according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a height adjustment unit in the first embodiment thereof, prior to being inserted into the recess;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic axial section of a second embodiment of the height adjustment unit;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic axial section of a third embodiment of the height adjustment unit;

FIG. 6 shows an axial section of a fourth embodiment of the height adjustment unit, comprising a expansion cone;

FIG. 7 shows an axial section of the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 5, mounted on load distribution elements (18);

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are schematic illustrations of a height adjustment unit having spring latching, in the free and in the braced state;

FIGS. 8 c and 8 d show the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 8 a/b in a view from above onto the support element and from beneath onto the foot part;

FIGS. 9 a to 9 c show a height adjustment unit in a double-wedge design, in side views and in a front view;

FIG. 9 d shows an arrangement of a screw on two bearing pins of the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 9 c;

FIGS. 10 and 11 each show perspective views from beneath of a water drainage element, comprising a super-flat drain and comprising an adapter module for the standard drain;

FIG. 12 shows an arrangement of a water drainage device in a shower stall, the channel cover being removed;

FIG. 13 schematically shows the head part comprising an external thread, provided with a measuring scale;

FIG. 14 shows the arrangement of the water drainage device according to FIG. 12, the channel cover being inserted;

FIG. 15 shows a schematic axial section of a simple embodiment of the height adjustment unit comprising a disk-shaped base;

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view, from below, of a height adjustment unit, which is made of plastic material and clamped within a channel cover;

FIG. 17 shows a perspective view, from above, of the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 shows an axial section through the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 shows a perspective view, from above, of the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 17 after the foot part has been severed; and

FIG. 20 shows an axial section through the height adjustment unit according to FIG. 19; and

FIG. 21 shows a perspective view, from above, of the height adjustment unit illustrated in FIG. 16, installed into a recess on the water drainage element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Expressions such as “top”, “upper”, “bottom”, “lower”, “lowermost” and the like refer to the water drainage device installed into a base plate of the shower stall, as is also shown in the drawings.

A water drainage device 100 shown in FIG. 1 for a walk-in shower stall 200 shown schematically in FIG. 12 is composed of an oblong water drainage element 3, a channel cover 4 that is adapted to the water drainage element, and two identically constructed height adjustment units 10.1. Four height adjustment units 10.1 can be seen in FIG. 12. The number of height adjustment units can vary; in general, two height adjustment units are sufficient, which should preferably be placed at the two ends of the channel cover 4. FIG. 1 moreover shows a drainage connector 55 that is connected to a housing 56 and sealed there for the connection to a rectangular drain pipe 5 indicated with dotted lines in FIGS. 12 and 14. As is indicated in FIG. 1, the drainage connector 55 can selectively have a round or polygonal, and preferably quadrangular, cross-section.

The water drainage element 3 is recessed in a base plate 51 (see FIG. 12) in the known manner, wherein the floor coverings of the base plate, such as tiles, are flush with the inserted channel cover 4 (see FIG. 14). For this purpose, an opening 9 extending around the channel cover 4 is provided in the exemplary embodiment for feeding waste water into the water drainage element 3. As an alternative or in addition to the opening 9, it is also possible to provide other apertures or openings, which in principle can be freely chosen and are suitable for feeding waste water into the water drainage element 3.

The water drainage element 3 shown in FIGS. 1, 10 and 11 comprises two recesses 6 for accommodating the height adjustment units, the recesses being illustrated in detail in the section A-A (see FIG. 2). According to this section, the recess 6 has a two-step design and is adapted to a foot part 2 of the height adjustment unit 10.1 (see FIG. 3). The recess 6 comprises an upper, flat, annular indentation 52 and a lower, conical indentation 53, which resembles a thimble (see FIGS. 10 and 11, viewed from beneath).

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the foot part 2 comprises a barrel-shaped hollow body 54 and a disk-shaped base 13 compatible with the indentation 52 of the recess 6, wherein the lowermost portion of the hollow body 54 can be adapted without play to the lower indentation 53 of the recess 6. A peripheral groove 21 is provided on the disk-shaped base 13 for accommodating a sealing element 22, which is shown in FIG. 4. The sealing element 21 is compressed when the foot part 2 is inserted into the recess 6.

According to FIG. 13, a measuring scale 15 is provided on the external thread 23, with the aid of which the height position of the foot part in relation to the head part can be set. The measuring scale 25 is incorporated on a surface 26 that interrupts the thread.

The foot part 2 can optionally be made of a slanted disk-shaped base 62 having an upwardly projecting threaded pin 63. The threaded pin 63 of the foot part is screwed into a sleeve 65 of the head part having an internal thread 64. Such a simple embodiment (height adjustment unit 10.7) is shown in FIG. 15.

Together with the foot part 2, the head part 1 forms a screw connection 20, which can also be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example.

The height adjustment unit 10.1 is shown in a simple embodiment thereof in FIG. 3. The height adjustment unit 10.1 is composed of said foot part 2 and a head part 1, which is provided with an external thread 23 for screwing it into an internal thread 24 (see FIG. 4) of the foot part 2. The head part 1 carries a support element 7, which is compatible with the interior 14 of the channel cover 4 (see FIG. 4) and comprises two downwardly directed U limbs 17.1, 17.2. According to FIG. 4, each of the two U limbs 17.1, 17.2 is provided with an outwardly projecting detent protrusion 11.1, 11.2, which engages in a cut-out 12, which is shown in FIG. 1, of a U limb 8.1, 8.2 of the channel cover 4.

The dimensions of the support element 7 are designed for a detachable detent or bayonet connection with the channel cover 4. The clamping connection holds the entire height adjustment unit 10.1 in the interior of the channel cover in a stable manner. The foot part 2, which is positively inserted into the recess 6, also contributes to the stability.

A height adjustment unit 10.2 shown in FIG. 4 comprises a locking element 19, by way of which the head part 1 and the foot part 2 can be braced with respect to each other. The locking element is any arbitrary screw, preferably a grub screw 29 having a hexagon socket drive, which can be rotated through a threaded borehole 37 disposed transversely to the internal thread 24 of the foot part 2.

According to FIG. 6 (height adjustment unit 10.4), the locking element is designed in the form of a threaded bushing 27, by way of which the height adjustment can be set. The threaded bushing can also act as the cylindrical foot part, which is screwed onto the head part 1 clamped in the channel cover 4. The recess 6 of the water drainage element 3 is cylindrical and includes the cylindrical threaded bushing 27, which is recessed to a bottom 49 of the recess. By tightening an axially extending screw 28 in an expansion cone 57, the threaded bushing 27 is braced with respect to the head part 1. A sealing element 22 is pressed into the peripheral groove 21 of an upper collar 58 of the threaded bushing 27.

FIG. 5 shows a height adjustment unit 10.3, in which the foot part 2 comprises a threaded sleeve 38 transitioning into a lower disk-shaped base 59, an elastic clamping element 39, an axially extending screw 42, and a clamping plate 40 that is disposed transversely to the screw axis and has a threaded borehole 41. Tightening of the screw 42 causes a deformation of the clamping element 39, which constitutes the anti-turn mechanism for the thread.

All height adjustment units 10.1 to 10.4 are formed by screw connections 20 and include the external thread 23 on the head part 1 and the internal thread 24 on the foot part 2.

According to FIG. 7, the height adjustment units 10.3 are placed with the foot part 2 thereof in the recess 6, wherein a load distribution element 18 in the form of a ribbed plug resting on a bottom 50 is disposed beneath the recess 6. The sharp ribs 60 of the ribbed plug engage in a wall 61 made of plastic material, the wall being oriented perpendicularly to the bottom 49 of the recess 6.

FIGS. 8 a, 8 b, 8 c and 8 d represent a height adjustment unit 10.5 that deviates from the screw type. The height adjustment unit 10.5 is a spring-loaded detent connection 30 between the head part 1 and the foot part 2. The head part 1 and the foot part 2 comprise detent elements 31; 32 having offset heights and are braced with respect to each other under a spring force F that is directed perpendicularly to the support element 7, which is to say directed along the longitudinal axis. The spring force F is caused by the tightening of a spring 48, which is held by way of retaining devices 33 provided on the support element 7 and on the foot part 2. A helical tension spring, the two ends of which are hooked into the retaining devices 33, is selected as the spring 48.

The retaining devices 33 in each case comprise a cross pin 34, on which the helical tension spring is suspended, wherein the length of the cross pin 34 exceeds an inner diameter of an opening 35 of the support element 7 and, in corresponding fashion, of an opening 36 of the foot part 2.

FIGS. 9 a, 9 b and 9 c show a further height adjustment unit 10.6 that is a variant on the screw type and comprises rectangular head and foot parts. The head part 1 and the foot part 2 comprise mutually contacting wedge surfaces 15.1, 15.2, which can be used to bring about an upward or downward gliding of the head part 1 in relation to the foot part 2, and thus a height adjustment. So as to fix the head part 1 on the foot part 2, a fixing device 16 is provided, comprising a screw 43 and two pivot bearings 44.1; 44.2, which extend perpendicularly to the U limbs 17.1, 17.2 of the support element 7 and each comprise a bearing pin 45.1; 45.2. The one pivot bearing (44.1) is attached on two opposing side walls 66 of the head part 1, and the other pivot bearing (44.2) is attached on similarly opposing side walls 67 of the foot part 2.

As is apparent from FIGS. 9 a and 9 b, the wedge surfaces 15.1, 15.2 are formed in each case by inclined edges of the side walls 66, 67 of the head part 1 and of the foot part 2.

The bearing pin 45.2 disposed on the foot part 2 has a through-hole 47, which is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the screw 43, so that the screw 43 can be displaced along the through-hole 47. The bearing pin 45.1 disposed on the head part 1 has a threaded borehole 46 (see FIG. 9 d) for accommodating said screw.

In this way, the head part 1 and the foot part 2 are connected to each other. If this screw 43 is rotated, the head part 1 glides over the wedge surface 15.2 of the foot part 2 and, at the same time, a distance A (see FIG. 9 c) between the center lines of the bearing pins 45.1; 45.2 changes. After the screw 43 has been tightened, the desired distance A is fixed.

Finally, FIGS. 16 to 21 show a further preferred embodiment (reference numeral 10.8) of the height adjustment unit comprising the screw connection 20, in which both the head part 1 and the foot part 2 are made of plastic material. The head part and/or the foot part can also be produced from a different material, such as a metal, and more particularly a stainless steel.

The foot part 2 comprises an approximately oval disk-shaped base 70 and a body 71 protruding over the disk-shaped base 70, wherein a straight section 72 is provided in each case on the longer sides of the oval disk-shaped base 70. The body 71 has a shape streamlined in such a way that waste water can flow around the same along the two hull-like (such as port side and starboard) shaped lateral surfaces 73.1, 73.2.

The support element 7 of the head part 1 is circular and transitions into a relatively shallow sleeve 75 having an external thread 23.

When installed (see FIG. 16), the circular support element 7 of the head part 1 is held in the interior 14 of the channel cover 4 by a C-shaped intermediate piece 78, which is produced from plastic material in the exemplary embodiment, but can also be produced from a metal, and more particularly from a stainless steel. The intermediate piece 78 comprises two lateral wing parts 79.1, 79.2, into which the support element 7 can be pushed.

The height adjustment unit 10.8 includes the screw connection 20 comprising the external thread 23 on the head part 1 and the internal thread 24 on the foot part 2, as can also be seen in FIG. 4, and the locking element in the form of an expansion cone 57, which braces the foot part 2 with respect to the head part 1 by way of the screw 28.

The foot part 2 shown in FIG. 18 has a maximal height H1, which is adapted to the maximal installation height of the water drainage device.

So as to be able to adjust the foot part 2 to a minimal installation height of the water drainage device, the body 71 is simply sawed off along a plane E indicated in FIG. 18, which extends parallel to a visible surface 69 of the channel cover 4 or parallel to a base surface 74 of the disk-shaped base 70. After the body has been sawed off, the foot part 2 has a smaller height dimension (height H2; see FIG. 20). So as to simplify the severing step, grooves 77, in which the tool, which in the present case is a saw, can be guided, are provided on both lateral surfaces 73.1, 73.2 of the body 71.

As is apparent from FIG. 21, the recess 6 incorporated on the water drainage element 3 is oval, as is the disk-shaped base 70, wherein the longitudinal axis 76 of the recess extends transversely to the longitudinal orientation of the channel cover 4. The oval shape of the recess 6 and of the disk-shaped base 70 lends sufficient positional stability to the height adjustment unit 10.8 that is inserted into the recess 6.

As is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the water drainage element 3 comprising the recesses 6 according to the invention is suitable both for a super-flat water drainage device comprising a rectangular drain pipe 55 and for a standard design comprising a connection to a round drain pan (see FIG. 11).

List of Reference Numerals: 1 head part 2 foot part 3 water drainage element 4 channel cover 5 drain pipe 6 recess 7 support element 8.1, 8.2 U limb (of 4) 9 opening 10.1; 10.2; height adjustment unit 10.3; 10.4; 10.5; 10.6; 10.7; 10.8 11.1, 11.2 detent protrusion 12 cut-out 13 disk-shaped base 14 interior (of 4) 15.1, 15.2 wedge surface 16 fixing device 17.1, 17.2 U limb (of 7) 18 load distribution element 19 locking element 20 screw connection 21 groove 22 sealing element 23 external thread 24 internal thread 25 measuring scale 26 surface 27 threaded bushing 28 screw 29 grub screw 30 detent connection 31; 32 detent element 33 retaining device (helical tension spring) 34 cross pin 35 opening (of 7) 36 opening (of 2) 37 threaded borehole 38 threaded sleeve 39 clamping element 40 clamping plate 41 threaded borehole 42 screw 43 screw 44.1, 44.2 pivot bearing 45.1, 45.2 bearing pin 46 threaded borehole 47 through-hole 48 spring 49 bottom (of 6; see FIG. 6) 50 bottom 51 base plate 52, 53 indentation (of 6) 54 hollow body 55 drainage connector 56 housing 57 securing cone 58 collar 59 disk-shaped base 60 rib 61 wall 62 disk-shaped base 63 threaded pin 64 internal thread 65 sleeve 66, 67 side wall 68 jacket 69 visible surface (of 4) 70 disk-shaped base 71 body 72 section 73.1, 73.2 lateral surface (of 71) 74 base surface 75 sleeve 76 longitudinal axis 77 grooves 78 intermediate piece 79.1, 79.2 wing part 100 water drainage device 200 shower stall A distance (between the bearing pins) A-A section E plane H1 max. height H2 min. height F spring force 

1-26. (canceled)
 27. A water drainage device (100) for a sanitary installation, comprising: an oblong, pan-shaped water drainage element (3), which is open toward the top when installed and to which a drain pipe (5) is fluidically connected, or can be fluidically connected; a channel cover (4), which is inserted into the water drainage element (3) and covers the water drainage element (3) toward the top when installed, at least one opening (9) remaining in or on the channel cover for feeding waste water into the water drainage element (3); and at least one height adjustment unit (10.1; 10.2; 10.3; 10.4; 10.5; 10.6; 10.7; 10.8) for a channel cover (4), comprising a foot part (2) and a head part (1), the height of which in relation to the foot part (2) can be adjusted, wherein: the head part (1) comprises a support element (7) that is compatible with the channel cover (4) and faces away from the foot part (2) and that is non-positively or positively connected to the channel cover (4); the water drainage element (3) comprises at least one recess (6) on which the foot part (2) is loosely supported; and the entire height adjustment unit (10.1; 10.2; 10.3; 10.4; 10.5; 10.6; 10.7; 10.8) being removable from the channel-shaped water drainage element (3), and being insertable into the water drainage element (3), together with the channel cover (4).
 28. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the channel cover (4) is planar and strip-shaped, or profiled, preferably in the form of a U or H profile.
 29. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the head part (1) is detachably connected to the channel cover (4).
 30. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the support element (7) engages in the interior (14) of the channel cover (4) in a clamping and/or latching manner.
 31. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the support element (7) is a section of a U profile, at the at least one U limb (17.1, 17.2) of which at least one outwardly projecting detent protrusion (11.1, 11.2) is disposed, by way of which a pressure force is exerted on a U limb (8.1, 8.2) of the channel cover (4).
 32. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 31, wherein at least one cut-out (12), in which the detent protrusion (11.1, 11.2) engages, is incorporated on at least one U limb (8.1, 8.2) of the channel cover (4).
 33. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the recess (6) comprises at least two steps.
 34. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the recess (6), in a projection onto the water drainage element (3) is at least partially polygonal, circular or oval.
 35. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the foot parts (2) and/or the recesses (6) have a conical design at least regionally.
 36. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the foot part (2) is adapted without play to the recess (6).
 37. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the foot parts (2) and/or the recesses (6) comprise at least one groove (21), which is suitable for accommodating a sealing element (22).
 38. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the foot parts (2) are mounted on load distribution elements (18).
 39. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein, together with the foot part (2), the head part (1) forms a screw connection (20).
 40. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 39, wherein the head part (1) and the foot part (2) of the height adjustment unit (10.1; 10.2; 10.3; 10.4; 10.8) can be adjusted by way of mutually engaging threaded elements, the head part (1) preferably comprising an external thread (23) and the foot part (2) preferably comprising an internal thread (24).
 41. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 39, wherein a measuring scale (25) is incorporated on the head part (1) or on the foot part (2).
 42. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 41, wherein the measuring scale (25) is provided on a surface (26) or on a thread-free jacket (68) of the foot part (2) or of the head part (1).
 43. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 39, wherein a locking element (19) is provided on the screw connection (20), by way of which the head part (1) can be fixed in relation to the foot part (2).
 44. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 39, wherein the height of the head part (1) or the foot part (2) is adjustable by severing the head part (1) or the foot part (2) along a groove (77), which is defined by a plane (E) extending parallel to the visible surface (69) of the installed channel cover (4).
 45. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 43, wherein the locking element (19) is a threaded bushing (27) or an expansion cone (57), which braces the foot part (2) with respect to the head part (1) by way of a screw (28).
 46. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 43, wherein the locking element (19) is a grub screw (29), which can be rotated through a threaded borehole (37) extending transversely to the internal thread (24) of the foot part (2) until the grub screw (29) exerts a pressing force on the head part (1), so that the head part (1) and the foot part (2) are braced with respect to each other.
 47. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the head part (1), together with the foot part (2), forms a detent connection (30), in which the head part (1) and the foot part (2) are braced with respect to each other under a spring force (F) that is directed perpendicularly to the support element (7), the head part (1) and the foot part (2) each comprising detent elements (31; 32) having offset heights.
 48. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 47, wherein the head part (1) and the foot part (2) of the height adjustment unit (10.5) in each case comprise a retaining device (33) for a spring (48), preferably a helical tension spring.
 49. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 48, wherein the retaining device (33) comprises a cotter pin or a cross pin (34), on which the helical tension spring is suspended, the cross pin (34) being longer than the inner diameter of an opening (35) of the support element (7) and, in corresponding fashion, of an opening (36) of the foot part (2).
 50. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the foot part (2) comprises a threaded sleeve (38), a clamping element (39), a clamping plate (40) having a threaded borehole (41) and a screw (42), a deformation of the clamping element (39) taking place as a result of the tightening of the screw (42), which brings about an anti-turn mechanism of the thread.
 51. A water drainage device (100) according to claim 27, wherein the head part (1) and the foot part (2) comprise mutually contacting wedge surfaces (15.1, 15.2), which can be fixed in relation to each other by a fixing device (16).
 52. The water drainage device (100) according to claim 51, wherein: the fixing device (16) comprises a screw (43) and two pivot bearings (44.1; 44.2), which extend perpendicularly to the U limbs (17.1, 17.2) of the support element (7) and each comprise a bearing pin (45.1; 45.2), the one pivot bearing (44.1) being disposed on the head part (1), and the other pivot bearing (44.2) being disposed on the foot part (2); the one bearing pin has a threaded borehole (46) for accommodating the screw (43), and the other bearing pin has a through-hole (47), which is slightly larger than the thread diameter of the screw (43); and the head part (1) and the foot part (2) are connected to each other via the screw (43), so that the rotating of the screw (43) brings about a change in a distance (A) between the center lines of the bearing pins (45.1; 45.2), and thus an upward or downward gliding of the head part (1) relative to the foot part (2). 